USA > Illinois > Cook County > History of Cook County, Illinois : being a general survey of Cook County history, including a condensed history of Chicago and special account of districts outside the city limits : from the earliest settlement to the present time, volume I > Part 27
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Late in January, 1858, Maj. J. D. Graham of the Government engineer corps reported the city hall to be in longitude 87 degrees, 38 minutes and 1.2 seconds west of Greenwich, and in latitude 41 degrees, 53 minutes and 10 seconds. The South market building was ordered sold in February, 1858.
The boundaries of the city wards at this date were as follows: South division: First ward, lake shore to State street; Second, State to Clark; Third, Clark to Wells; Fourth, Wells to South branch. West division: Fifth ward, between Hamilton avenue and Randolph street, east and west from South branch to city lim- its; Sixth, between Madison and North and Tenth west from Hamil- ton avenue south to city limits. North division: Seventh, from North branch to La Salle; Eighth, from La Salle to Wolcott; Ninth, from Wolcott to the lake shore. At this time there were
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ISAAC N. POWELL.
COL. F. A. EASTMAN.
PASQUALE MASTROIANNI.
J. E. DECKER.
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two fire districts on the South Side, one on the West and two on the North.
In February, 1858, Isaac Cook succeeded Mr. Price as the Chi- cago postmaster. December, 1857, and January, 1858, were very mild, but February was very cold. For the fiscal year ending Janu- ary 30 the comptroller's report showed that the city expenses amounted to the very large amount of $1,190,146.85, less the balance in the treasury of $30,426.81. The total receipts were $1,190,- 106.85. The treasurer's report showed the expenses to be $927,- 859.96, with a balance of $64,464.88 from the previous year, 1856-57. There were clashes and serious trouble among the fire companies at this date. The underwriters in March reported in favor of steam fire engines. An important railway convention to adjust freight rates between the seaboard and the West was held here in March. The winter of 1857-58 was such a hardship on the poor that one or more public soup houses were opened. Chicago was entitled to a county supervisor from each ward in addition to the supervisor from each of the South, North and West towns. Thus each voter in the city was obliged to vote twice in April- once for a supervisor for his ward and once for a supervisor for his town. The ease with which immense buildings were raised to the new grade was the marvel of the times. A vast improve- ment near the mouth of the Chicago river was made in 1857-58. A section of the old Fort Dearborn land had been cut away and the river widened to facilitate the passage of vessels. A fine bridge at Rush street had been built at a cost of about $50,000, several hundred yards of dock had been constructed, and the Illinois Cen- tral had made important improvements. Enormous numbers of buildings, particularly frame dwellings, were erected in the spring of 1858. The abuses of the hackmen were so great, and had been for several years, that drivers were forced to form an organization to take corrective measures to redeem themselves in the spring of 1858.
"Horse Railroads .- We are glad to see some definite steps taken looking toward the establishment of horse railroads in the South division. We care not by whom or through what streets these roads be built so that the public are best suited, but the roads we must have. We shall publish the proposed ordinance tomorrow."- (Press, April 28, 1858.)
In April the United States court rooms were removed to Lar- mon's block on Washington street. A new vagrant ordinance struck a severe blow at all tramps during the summer of 1858. Two new water reservoirs- one at Chicago avenue and Sedgwick and one at Morgan and Monroe-were ordered built in 1858. The National Typographical Union held its seventh annual session on May 3. In this month a union depot on the sands north of the river mouth, for all the railroads that did not come into the city Vol. 1-17.
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on the tracks of the Illinois Central, was proposed. The roads to be thus united were the Galena, Michigan Southern, Chicago & Alton, Rock Island, Chicago, St. Paul and Fond du Lac, and Chi- cago, Pittsburg & Fort Wayne. The cry arose in May from prop- erty owners that city tax for 1858 must not exceed 10 mills. In April the vote for sewerage commissioner and water commissioner was as follows: Water commissioner, Lunt 2,397, Price 545, Bay 942. Sewerage commissioner, Webster 3,312, Gage 551. The city ordinance of 1858 prohibiting saloons from selling liquor on Sun- day caused bitterness and riot during that year. In May, 1858, about $200,000 of Chicago sewerage bonds, running twenty-five years and bearing 7 per cent, were sold by Commissioner Sylvester Lind for an average of 9712 cents on the dollar. All Western towns, envious of Chicago's growth and prosperity, took advantage of every opportunity to make fun of this city. The following from the Cleveland Plain Dealer of May, 1858, is a sample of these at- tacks: "Chicago is a bustling city. It was formerly in Illinois, but now Illinois is in it. Lake Michigan is situated on Chicago. The principal productions of Chicago are corner lots, statistics, wind, the Democratic Press and Long John Wentworth. The population of Chicago is about sixteen millions and is 'rapidly increasing.' "
The additions to the courthouse were being built in May, 1858, and all buildings were being raised to grade. Rejected spring wheat was returned to this city by New York in May ; an investiga- tion by the Board of Trade showed that the complaint was just. A new system of grain inspection was demanded, devised and insti- tuted. There had thus far been no uniformity of inspection, each inspector using his own judgment or bias. After June 15, 1858, the following grades were to prevail: 1. Chicago club wheat; 2. No. 1 spring wheat; 3. No. 2 spring wheat; 4. Rejected spring wheat. The months of April and May, 1858, were extremely wet, the rains being almost continuous. The Board of Trade continued to waste valuable time and energy on shipments, via the St. Law- rence river, between Liverpool and Chicago. "Fluid lamps" (kero- sene) began to be used; their frequent explosion was noticed. On June 23 the thermometer registered ninety-eight degrees.
In July, 1858, the city police force numbered 160 men-forty- seven in the South division, forty-two in the West division and forty-one in the North division, the others being specials. It was in July, 1858, that many of the citizens took positive ground against granting to any company a franchise to occupy the streets with "horse cars" without adequate compensation. The Council had granted to Henry Fuller & Company the right to build a "horse railroad" on State street, and in the opinion of many had failed to obtain suitable consideration therefor. A mass meeting was held and protests were filed. These vigorous protests caused Mayor
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Haines to veto the ordinance as it was passed. It was then amended to meet more nearly the wishes of the people-to be built within a definite period; not to approach nearer than twelve feet to any sidewalk; cars to be run by animal power; not to connect with any other street railway; no cars from other roads to be run over its tracks; the city to have the right to buy the road after twenty-five years ; the purchase price to be fixed by a commission of five persons ; fare, rate of speed and time of running to be controlled by the city. On July 28 the Clark street bridge, the most important one in the city, and but four years in use, broke in two and fell into the river; after the breakage and until the ferry there was started people were forced to go to the Wells and Rush street bridges to get across.
The Atlantic telegraph, laid in July and August, 1858, was watched with great interest here. Upon receipt of the message of Queen Victoria to President Buchanan on August 16 and his reply thereto, an enormous impromptu celebration of the important event was held. The fire and militia companies came out, bells were rung, bonfires were lighted in all quarters and the British and American flags, blended, were flung to the breeze. It was esti- mated that from 15,000 to 20,000 people were on the streets. The Council appropriated $1,000 with which to suitably celebrate an event of such importance to the world, to America and to Chicago. The Press and Tribune of August 17 said: "It is impossible to do full justice to the events of last evening in this city. Any descrip- tion would fall short of adequateness save that which with those who had not the evidence of their own eyes would pass to the least pardonable extreme of exaggeration. The affair was spontaneous and the hearty outburst of our entire community in their rejoicings at the successful termination of suspense and the glorious comple- tion of an enterprise literally world-wide in its scope."
On August 17 an imposing formal celebration was held to em- phasize and dignify the event and spend the money that had been appropriated by the Council. The streets were illuminated, as were also the courthouse, postoffice and many business blocks. At a meeting of the Board of Trade an appropriate letter was addressed to Cyrus W. Field, who had conducted the project to success.
In August, 1858, spring wheat was worth 81 to 82 cents, red winter $1 to $1.11, white winter $1.15 to $1.20. The ejectment suit against the Illinois Central Railroad company by George C. Bates, to recover possession of the depot grounds of that company on the lake front, was tried in September, 1858. The suit was based upon the preemption claims of the Kinzie family to the tract. After a long and important trial the claimant was defeated. By August, 1858, the union depot had been located definitely on the West Side. The small park (then called Washington) on the North Side, next to Clark street, had not been improved as agreed
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upon and suit to recover it from the city was threatened in October, 1858. Also Jefferson park, on the West Side, acquired from Judge Thomas, administrator, in 1850, was claimed by his widow in 1858 upon the same and other grounds. The People's Gas Light & Coke company was organized in October. On October 9 occurred the great fire on Lake street, by which twenty-three lives were lost and $500,000 worth of property was destroyed. The Citizens' Fire Brigade had their first annual review on October 28, 1858. On November 1, 1858, the first ground for a "horse railroad" (street railway) was broken on State street. The first rail on this road was laid on December 2. The Adams house was opened this fall. Bridgeport was called South Chicago in 1858. By November 4 the big reservoir on the West Side at Monroe street was nearly finished. "During the last week 32,900 hogs, alive and dressed, were received in this city over the various routes of supply," said the Press and Tribune of November 22. There was a big exodus to Pike's Peak late in 1858 and early in 1859. The act of February 19, 1859, repealed the act of February 16, 1857, providing for the laying out of a park in the South division of Chicago; such law was declared immature and not demanded by the interest of the people of the South division.
The act of February 11, 1859, incorporated the Rosehill Ceme- tery company, the incorporators being William B. Ogden, Charles G. Hammond, John H. Kinzie, Hiram A. Tucker, Levi D. Boone, Benjamin W. Raymond, Charles V. Dyer, James H. Rees, John Evans, Jonathan Burr, Levi B. Taft, E. K. Rogers, Robert H. Morford, Andrew T. Sherman, William Turner, George Schneider, C. H. Deihl, Andrew Nelson, James V. Z. Blaney, Henry Smith, Philo Judson, E. L. Jansen, Francis H. Benson, all of whom were constituted a board of consultation. The five persons last named were the first board of managers. The company was authorized to purchase not to exceed 500 acres in the township of Lake View, Cook county, and to devote the same to cemetery purposes.
In the spring of 1859 U. P. Harris was elected chief of the fire department. In March the Council granted the North Chicago Railway company the right to construct and operate a horse rail- road on the North Side; William B. Ogden was one of the incor- porators. On March 30 the water commissioners reported that during the fiscal year 1858-59, 74,433 feet of water pipes had been laid; that the total length of pipes in the city were 382,282 feet; that 122 fire hydrants had been set; that the total number of gal- lons of water pumped had been 1,091,865,000, which was about 3,000,000 gallons daily, and that 8,231 buildings had been supplied with water. It was noted in March, 1859, that vessels had just left here bound for Liverpool, Pike's Peak and New Orleans, that to Pike's Peak going via the canal and Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri and Kaw rivers as far as possible. A single track street railway
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was being laid on State street in March. Prior to April, 1859, city contractors were required to wait for their pay until assess- ments had been collected, but at that date the Council ordered the issue of construction bonds. So great was the demand for houses now that the Press and Tribune issued a call, headed "1,000 Houses Wanted." The McCormick reaper works were regarded as one of the greatest local industries. The following machines had been turned out by that concern: In 1854, 1,600; 1855, 2,500; 1856, 4,000; 1857, 4,000; 1858, 4,500. The improvement of the court- house in 1858-59 greatly enhanced the appearance of that structure. In April, 1859, five trains daily reached Hyde Park. Commutation tickets sold at 71/2 cents a ride. The following bridges were in existence in April, 1859:, Rush, Clark, Wells, Lake, Randolph Madison, Van Buren, Polk, Twelfth, old Kinzie, Erie, Indiana, Chi- cago avenue and North. Wentworth of the Democrat opposed the location of the union depot on the West Side; the Tribune said he wanted it on the South Side where his property was located. On April 19 North Market hall was destroyed by fire. On April 25 four street cars were kept in operation all day on State street-this was the first general run. The plan was to extend the State street car line to Ulick's hotel, two miles south, at the earliest possible moment. By April 30 the postoffice and customhouse at Monroe and Dearborn was ready for the roof. The war news in Europe caused all prices to advance in the spring of 1859. The Press and Tribune said : "Later-A Panic .- Late last evening the dispatches of the steamer 'Vigo' were received, indicating a heavy decline in breadstuffs. The news caused a frightful panic among the holders of wheat, and large quantities were immediately thrown on the market, which declined rapidly 8 to 10 cents on the closing price on 'Change-No. 1 red selling as low as $1.55 and standard and spring at $1.15-a decline of 15 to 18 cents per bushel since yes- terday noon."
In May, 1859, the "horse railway" was being built on West Madi- son street. The new Rosehill cemetery, six miles north of the city, was now ready for interments. , A gentleman asked an Irish grave- digger. "Is this the place where the new cemetery is going to be?" The Irishman replied, "Yis, yer Honor, and not a healthier place for a cemetery is there on top of this earth." In June a resolution before the Council in favor of building a fire-proof recorder's office on the public square, fronting on Washington street, and not to cost more than $4,000, was lost by a vote of 20 to 17. On June 16 the second horse railroad in the city was opened on Madison to Sangamon streets. At this date the State street line had been extended to Cottage Grove. On the occasion of the visit to this city of the Council of Cincinnati in June, 1859, the old fire engine "Neptune" was brought out and its power exhibited. It threw a stream 253 feet in a horizontal direction. At this date (1859)
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the "Long John" steam fire engine was the pride of the depart- ment. On May 16 red winter wheat sold at $1.73, but on July 8 it sold at $1.12. On July 14 corn was 1 cent higher than standard spring wheat; the next day they were quoted at the same price and were exchanged on even terms in the Chicago market-about 68 cents. On Sunday, July 17, the mercury stood at ninety-six degrees. In July the horse railway tracks on Randolph from Clark west to Reuben were being laid. On July 28, 1859, Rosehill ceme- tery was dedicated with much ceremony by the laying of the corner stone of the chapel there and the reading of a poem by Professor Goodwin. J. V. Z. Blaney, president of the company, addressed the assemblage. The cemetery then embraced a little more than twenty acres. A strong demand for a girls' reform school was made at this time; there was no place except the jail in which to confine female offenders. In August the Council passed an ordi- nance providing for such an institution, and the board of Guardians decided to spend not to exceed $3,000 the first year thereon. The guardians of the boys' reform school, owing to a shortness of funds, objected to the movement. Owing, it was claimed, to a war between the allopaths and homeopaths, the city hospital had remained for some time silent and unfinished; it was on the South Side, near Archer road.
On August 25, 1859, the Chicago City Railway company had in operation three lines, with seven miles of tracks and forty-eight cars. A double track was opened to Cottage Grove on August 28. A vigorous attempt to change the name of Clark street to Broad- way was made at this time. The West Side lumber district had a $500,000 fire in September. The National Fair held here in Sep- tember at Cottage Grove was an important event. The exhibits, racing, shooting, military drills, band contests, balloon ascension surpassed naything ever seen in the West. The Press and Tribune of September 18 said: "The fair brought together the largest num- ber of people, mainly out of the six states of the Northwest, that ever gathered at any point in either of those states for any pur- pose whatever. On Tuesday, the culminating day, there were not less than 60,000 persons on the grounds." The park was owned by Henry Graves, was surrounded with a tight board fence nine feet high, contained thirty-one acres, seated over one thousand per- sons and had one of the best trotting tracks in the country.
"Kilgubbin" was on the North Side, first along Kinzie street and later at the angle where the North branch joined the South branch. It held at one time over two thousand population and became in 1858 as famous or infamous as "The Sands" had been two or three years before. One hundred families or more (if such they can appropriately be called), of which the members were nearly all law-breakers, had gathered there in all 'sorts of habitations except respectable, with pigs, geese, goats, rats, etc., and the locality had
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become the resort and hiding place of numerous criminals; but in 1859 the place was raided and uprooted, the river there was wid- ened, and a valuable basin was built. The name Kilgubbin was afterward (1864-65) applied to a tract of forty or fifty acres, cov- ered with shanties, located on the West Side where Carpenter street touched the river. Another similar section of about twenty acres was on the West Side between Des Plaines and Halsted, near Har- rison avenue. A few other smaller sections were similarly built up and occupied-one at Milwaukee avenue and Union; another near North Rucker and Kinzie; another small one between Clark and State, near Twelfth. In those localities it was usual for the inhab- itants to have a patois or jargon of their own.
Late in September a double track was laid on Madison from State to the South branch. At this time cars began to run from Clark street along Division to Clybourn. The Kingsbury tract (on the east side of the North branch above Kinzie), which previous to this date had lain mostly covered with water and unimproved, was now being rapidly formed into streets and lots and built upon ; it had been part of the estate of Major Kingsbury. The extraordi- nary activity in the grain market here made it necessary at this date to start a clearing house for grain. On October 17 a total of six street cars were run on Randolph street, thus allowing a car every ten minutes, instead of every twenty minutes as before; this improvement was regarded with great satisfaction by the citizens. About this date George Horsley secured a judgment of $1,000 against the city, and, as the comptroller refused to honor the same, he levied on fire horses and engines. Ten skeletons in rude coffins were exhumed at Doyle's building on South Water street on Octo- ber 27; they were supposed to be members of General Scott's army who had died of cholera in 1832. Stealing cattle and hurriedly slaughtering them was a common offense at this time. At one of the big slaughter houses there was employed a good-natured Scotchman as foreman. On one occasion when his force was busily engaged in knocking down hogs with a sledge hammer and then sticking them, a visitor who was an interested witness of the pro- ceedings was asked by the accommodating Scotchman, "Wouldn't ye like to knock down a hog or two yerself?"
In November, 1859, when it was proposed to unite the North and South Side street railway systems by a track over the Clark street bridge, a great outcry against such a step arose. The North pier was in very bad condition and liable to be washed away by any severe gale; the Board of Trade asked for an appropriation of $600 to be used in repairing it. Not receiving the appropriation, the board with characteristic liberality and promptness raised $650 for the purpose. The Secretary of the Treasury was petitioned to expend the balance (about $60,000) of the last winter's appropria- tion for the lighthouse (about $87,000) in rebuilding the north pier. On December 31 it was twenty-two degrees below zero.
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The year 1859 was characterized by a severe depression in finan- cial and business circles, and at times by spurts of extraordinary prosperity. A fine school building was erected on Aberdeen street. The postoffice was finished externally. Building improvements cost about $2,044,000. South Clark street was paved with Nichol- son blocks and Michigan avenue with gravel. Improvements on the Kingsbury tract cost $125,000. City improvements cost a total of $275,800, as follows: Macadamizing, $45,332; graveling, $82,- 819; paving, $57,561; Washington park, North Side, $1,187; Lake street bridge, $14,571; Kinzie bridge, $8,860; Halsted bridge, $8,000; dredging, $40,000; sidewalks by city, estimated, $8,000; culverts, crossings, etc., estimated, $5,000; planking streets and alleys, $5,500.
The fire department about this time adopted a decoration of honor consisting of a maltese star with silver rays and shield. The old cemetery (now a part of Lincoln park) embraced about one hundred and twenty acres, of which about sixty acres had been surveyed into lots and mostly sold; not over half of the lots were occupied by burials. It was now proposed to donate the north sixty acres to the city for a public park and to fence in and hold the sixty acres of cemetery.
At this time (1859) the growth and prosperity of Chicago were formally considered by the citizens, who in mass meetings appointed committees on manufactures, commerce, agriculture, drainage, emi- gration, printing, publishing, currency, finance, etc. Receipts of the city for the fiscal year February 1, 1859, to January 31, 1860, were $1,386,295.19, less $39,145.33 balance on hand at the begin- ning .. The expenditures for the year amounted to $1,286,295.19, less $65,752.21 on hand at the close. The funded debt on January 31, 1859, was $514,000. Attempts to lay double tracks on State street and across Clark street bridge were checked by injunctions. The Board of Trade was now located in the Newhouse block on South Water street. By March, 1860, there were eleven trunk railway lines and twenty branches and extensions, with a total mileage of 4,736, centering in Chicago. The total earnings of all these railroads for 1859 were $14,978,300.29. The total receipts of grain, with flour expressed in wheat, were 20,008,223 bushels; cattle packed, 51,809; hogs packed, 185,000; receipts of lumber, feet, 305,688,233.
In the spring of 1860 the receipts of corn were enormous. George W. Dole died in April, 1860. The following public halls were here at this time: Metropolitan, Bryan, Light Guard, Kings- bury, Wilkowsky, and three in the market buildings. The proposi- tion to build a railroad to the Pacific met the unqualified approval of all Chicago. The ship canal was not lost sight of, but continued to be discussed periodically. In May, 1860, the union station was at last definitely located on the West Side. In May, 1860, the
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Citizens' Fire Brigade, after two and a half years of existence, re- solved that as they had up to date paid their own expenses so far as the city was concerned, and had rendered good services, they would disband on June 1 unless the city should assist them. Dur- ing the week of the National Republican convention the Press and Tribune claimed a daily circulation of 21,000 copies; the presses were not fast enough, as more copies were demanded. In the spring of 1860 a resolution by Peter Page to build a "hall of rec- ords" was again defeated in the Council. He wanted a portion of the land (twenty-eight acres) at the Reform school to be traded for the Armory, where a jail could be built, which change would permit the jail in the courthouse to be transformed into the "hall of rec- ords." Wilkowsky hall, 45 by 90 feet, at the corner of Clark and Monroe, was sold in June, 1860, for $30,000. Late in June the crop of hay on the courthouse square was harvested. In June, 1860, Graceland Cemetery company was organized. It was now seen that corporate cemeteries would supplant those of the city. Chicago raised $1,500 for the tornado sufferers in Northern Illi- nois, Rev. Robert Collyer being the disbursing agent; Lee Center, Amboy, Albany, Comanche, and other towns had been leveled. Late in July, 1860, the Times passed to C. H. McCormick, pro- prietor of the Herald. On August 6 it was ninety-seven degrees. Upon invitation of the corporate authorities of Montreal, John Wentworth was sent there to represent Chicago at the reception given to Prince Edward. In the Calumet region were the best hunting and fishing grounds near Chicago.
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